Poacher-turned-activist John Sumokwo urges poachers to follow his example, and for the Kenyan government to take more serious steps to crack down on illegal wildlife hunting.
After being released from prison for poaching crimes, he started working as a wildlife ambassador at Gilbert Wildlife. Recently, he joined a lobbying group to hold the government more accountable. After a translocation of 11 black rhinos went wrong and 10 ended up dying shortly after arriving at their new home, he called on the government to investigate.
“How could the government get very serious in arresting and charging poachers while it cannot account for the deaths of the wild animals,” Sumukwo said.
Though most of the black rhinos’ deaths appear to be the result of salt poisoning from overly-salty water in Tsavo East National Park, the fatalities are unsettling and conservationists want to make sure all safety procedures were followed in the translocation.
Sumukwo’s previous life is startling and disturbing. When he was finally caught, he had already killed over 70 elephants.
“I had no peace. I used to be on the run while in the process my family suffered a great deal,” Sumukwo, who is a father of six, told Baringo News.
Despite the risk of being caught or harmed by the elephants themselves, he continued to poach elephants for 10 years.
“I remember one young calf saw me kill her mum,” Sumukwo told the Mirror shortly after he was released from prison in 2014. “She ran off for protection from other animals. My attacks were so frequent that the elephants could not mate and have calves. There were not enough male bull elephants left.”
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But for a poor man like Sumukwo, the money was enough to motivate him to keep poaching. It wasn’t unusual for him to make 500,000 Kenyan Shillings a day – nearly 5,000 USD
“To me, this was just business,” he said. “I didn’t think about it any other way.”
Compared to the average monthly salary of 6,498 Kenyan Shillings – about 65 USD – Sumukwo was making much more than he could expect to in any other industry.
To give a better glimpse into the life of poachers, Sumukwo didn’t kill the elephants with guns. He used spears. When he was charged with a crime, he sold his herd of cattle to make bail. Living life in a poor village with few resources, where education doesn’t emphasize the importance of conservation, and with uncertain opportunities, poaching becomes possible.
Kapona ‘Nanyuki’ Lapalee, another poacher who turned to conservation in Kenya, had a similar story. After killing over 50 elephants, he had a turning point and also went into conservation.
After spending a year behind bars, Sumukwo came out a changed man. He lost his money and saw how his actions affected his family. However, the human cost wasn’t the only factor that led Sumukwo to change his mind about poaching.
“Having gone into prison, I came to realize that conservation is more important than poaching,” he said in an interview with the Mirror. “I understood then that poaching kills and wipes out the elephants, which will leave future generations with nothing to see.
In many ways, Sumukwo got off easy. He was only sentenced to two years in prison. Since his arrest, Kenya has increased the sentence to life.
Poor Sumukwo? All I see is is a manipulation and playing ‘an innocent’ one after he was caught. He could not go back as he was probably watched closely by the officials. In poor areas it is hard to find a job. And they give such this job to a former killer? If he killed heartlessly before its hard for me to believe out of sudden he ‘found a heart’ in a prison. I would give animal-protection job to people who truly care.
I am glad for the elephants sake that he changed. Good move – Thank you Sumukwo for , now ,protecting the elephants ! Keep working to help elephants ! Hopefully others will hear about the Sumukwo and his story and change too !
Its an awful story with a somewhat happy ending. The story solidifies the point that in order for people to be good human beings and do right/learn to do right they need economic opportunities to set them on a positive path. poverty breeds violence and crime. provide people with a better opportunity and they will take it.
This is exactly my point, that man had 6 children…WHY? He needed to have a smaller family, that he could support and not slaughter animals. CONTRACEPTION…for HUMANS is needed in AFRICA…STOP having so many babies/children. Cut it out…the mean human couple in the USA has only 2 children….DO SO In ALL COUNTRIES….make overpopulation a CRIME if necessary…
Well he won’t be getting a pat on the back from me.
They should start by stopping reproducing mindlessly and all get a vasectomy. It is overpopulation and hunger that mainly motivates poaching and also the cause of Ebola.
I AGREE COMPLETELY, THAT MAN NEEDED A VASECTOMY….WE NEED CONTRACEPTION IN AFRICA…AND OTHER COUNTRIES THAT OVERPOPULATE THE EARTH….
HUMAN OVERPOPULATION…NO ONE EVER WANTS TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC AND IT IS RUINING THIS EARTH…
I’m thrilled to hear that Kenya has changed the penalty for these horrific crimes to LIFE in prison — I hope this actually holds up and criminals actually are never released — Also, it is good to know people CAN CHANGE, especially with options now available (WHAT were the options before and WHAT are they now?) — as this former-poacher stated, imprisonment gave him the TIME he needed to THINK about the lives of all involved. — I hope he’s being monitored — watched — and is not part of a bigger network of present poacher-criminal-murderers. — I PRAY this horrific industry gets wiped out totally and permanently.
God bless you for changing your ways. Please continue to work hard to make it up to the animals you hurt.
How can you kill animals to earn a living?
I say this not being in the position of these men but I don’t think I could kill any animal for money no matter how much I needed it. They say you need to walk in another person’s shoes to understand but having not eaten animals for 42 years I think those shoes would never fit. People can change though and I am grateful these two men did. Many, including me at times, think poachers should be shot but then you see there there are people who do see the light and make a difference. I just wish they had done it before they slaughtered so many animals.
Thank you for changing your opinion on poaching! This is a very hard thing to do, I’m sure it doesn’t make you very popular with your poacher friends, but well done!
Botswana is home to the largest elephant population on Mother Earth. Poachers have trained their sights on Botswana! 87 elephant carcasses were recently discovered on sanctuary land…their heads axed to remove the tusks…flesh left to rot beneath vegetation. WHERE IS PRINCE HARRY??? His “2nd” home since childhood and no word! While Meghan’s large center diamond engagement stone CAME from Botswana! OPEN YOUR EYES, HARRY! YOU HAVE THE INFLUENCE AND THE RESOURCES TO END THIS! Do hope this finds you at Nottingham Cottage…FORGET AUSTRALIA!…DESTINATION BOTSWANA! With hope and regards from across the pond in the USofA…a descendant of Queen Catherine (Parr) to Henry VIII…Pamela
YES, HARRY, PRINCE HARRY HAS THE MEANS TO END THIS….HE IS RICH, FILTHY RICH. HE NEEDS TO GET DOWN THERE AND STOP THE SLAUGHTER….
AGREE WITH YOU- PAMELA—GET MOVING HARRY. YOU HAVE WORK TO BE DONE…
Pamela — excellent point — totally slipped my mind re Royals and their connections to Africa — Harry CAN DO something, along with his brother and the rest of the Royal family — this horrific abuse against magnificent animals has been going on for quite some time and I’ve NEVER heard even a peep from the Royals — again, good point, Pamela — will visit Royal website and leave a message and comment. — Let’s get many on board to do the same — get the Royals to start DOING something positive for the elephants, the rhinos, the big cats, and the rest of wildlife in Africa being used, exploited, abused and slaughtered. It’s downright shameful, immoral, horrific, irrational, hateful.
I sure hope this idiot doesn’t expect ANY sympathy cuz he sure isn’t getting it from me.